Tears of a Blossom
by Jade-55
Summary: On the verge of going into surgery, Serenity finds herself in a disastrous situation, is she on her own or will somebody stand by her side? SetoSerenity


A/N: Well, this is my first attempt at a Yu-Gi-Oh ficcy...as well as my first attempt at a one-shot fic. I haven't really met a lot of people who are fans of the whole Seto/Serenity pairing, but I thought I'd give it a try anyway. Tears of a Blossom 

The sound of excited voices could be heard for miles on end down the long crowded street, while millions of people went about on their busy way; entering and exiting shops of all shapes and sizes. Rays danced along the smooth, hard concrete as the sun desperately peeked out from behind the cloudy, gray sky. Eager footsteps were easily identifiable, pattering down the road; as Serenity paused, taking in a small breath. Her chest moved gently in and out, the air flowing gracefully down her trachea as it entered into her lungs, allowing her to feel the fresh air. Soft chocolate eyes glanced worriedly up into the stormy sky, while a frown passed over her clear, pale skin. Strands of cinnamon hued hair rustled gently across her face- tickling her cheeks, while the rest of it washed over her shoulders in long layers. 

            "Oh dear, looks like a storm is coming." She muttered, squinting her eyes so as to get a better view of large, gloomy clouds. A rush of air spun around her suddenly, causing her navy skirt to ruffle restlessly across her hips. A cold chill quickly ran down her spine, her entire body breaking out into a fit of shivers. Tugging upon her baby pink vest, she wrapped it tighter around her body- trying to conceal as much heat as possible. It wasn't working as she had hoped it would, another shiver running through her body- starting from her head and reaching all the way down to her toes. _'I don't think I'll make it home in time,'_ Serenity thought, watching the clouds quickly rolling in. The once busy street was now slowly starting to empty out, people filing into nearby stores to shield themselves from the obvious rainstorm.

            "Well, I suppose I **could** take the shortcut." Chocolate eyes focused across the street, taking notice to the dark alleyway that was but inches from her reach. She knew it would save five minutes at the least, and she figured that's all the time she had before the rain would start falling in torrents upon her. Serenity took a deep breath, contemplating the entire idea, her mind ambivalent in decision. She knew what to expect from the alleyway...or did she? At one point in her life she had ventured down that very same alley and absolutely nothing had happened, yet there was one difference, Joey was there to look out for her- to protect her from any harm. What would he say if he saw her entering this shadowed road on her own? _'But he's not here,'_ Serenity told herself, shaking her head slowly. _'He's not here.'_ This was the quickest way back home and she had to take it, she had to be brave this time, and everything would turn out fine. A speeding red mustang whipped down the street as Serenity quickly passed over to the alleyway, hesitating for an instant at the dark gap. She still wasn't sure about this whole idea of hers, people were known to get kidnapped or attacked down them. She could after all phone her brother and he would for sure come to pick her up, but then she would just be a nuisance. Clinging tightly to her vest she moved a foot forward, then slowly following she moved her other foot until she was in a steady pace. 

Instantly shadows took over her, dancing around her with amusement, consuming her in darkness and fear. Eerie sounds began playing lines through Serenity's mind, laughter echoing out from all the dark crevices. Her head darted rapidly in a variety of directions, while her cinnamon hair flapped wildly around her. "This is crazy," Serenity told herself, trying to calm down her uncontrollable terror. "My mind is just making up noises, there's nothing out there." As much as she wanted to believe her own words, she couldn't, coming down this alley was a stupid idea after all. Her hands felt clammy, squeezing tightly together while sweat began forming across her forehead. The small strands of bangs instantly clung to the newly moistened area- like flower roots, reaching out for the ground water. A long drawled out moan rang through the narrow pathway, shooting into the depths of Serenity's ears- causing her to spin around in fright. A pair of dirty old trashcans sat against one of the stony gray walls, overflowing with moldy hamburger meat and Styrofoam containers. Serenity cringed at the sight; her nose wrinkling up at the awful stench that wafted through her nostrils, while something furry quickly scurried past her feet. Instantly Serenity broke out into a scream, leaping back away as she found herself stepping into a puddle- the fresh mud oozing around her feet with pleasure. 

            "Oh no." She cried, noticing that her shoes were no longer white, but completely black instead. Plucking a foot out of the mess she placed it back onto the clean soil, well, cleaner than the sticky mud that is. The entire path was scattered with soiled papers and old appliances- microwaves, toasters- that people threw out once they broke down. Bending over she began digging into her shoes, trying to scoop out the mud that had made its way into her shoe. The same moaning sound called out again, immediately causing Serenity to freeze- her heart racing furiously within the cavity of her chest. This time it was closer however, as she hesitantly lifted up her head, eyes taking focus to a small creature staring back at her- it's yellow beady eyes staring out from blackness. Serenity felt her entire face grow pale as she quickly backed away from the creature, tripping on her unstable feet as she went crashing down, landing directly on her buttock. The fall didn't appear to hurt her, as much as she expected, in fact, it was actually quite soft. It was then obvious where she had landed, as she could feel something gooey sliding over her hips, soaking into her once clean skirt...mud. Serenity could feel her whole body tremble, tears beginning to fill up in her eyes- no longer full of their crystal shine. The entire world around her seemed to fall apart, the darkness creeping further towards her; as though they were a lion moving in for the final kill. Serenity could feel the tears seeping out from the corners of her eyes, the warm liquid streaking down her pale cheeks. What had ever convinced to venture down such a disturbing place, what was she thinking? Her bottom was now completely drenched; the soiled material clinging desperately to her thin body. Pain ran across her offended area as it shot forth up her spine, as she rubbed a hand across the appendage. Her skirt was completely sopped in mud, while small amounts began dripping from the pleaded ruffles.

            "Well, I must say. You definitely look worse for wear!" A voice suddenly echoed out, instantly grabbing a hold of Serenity's attention as she whipped her head up- her face but inches from somebody else's. Dark eyes penetrated through her, sending a shiver once again down her spine. "Here!" The voice demanded with slight irritation, while a hand was thrust out towards her. Serenity glanced at the abrupt gesture suspiciously, not sure whether or not to trust this man's sudden appearance. But what did she have to lose; it was better than sitting around in the disgusting mud. Placing a hand carefully into the guy's palm, she felt his fingers tightly grip around her wrist, before yanking her up with great force. 

            "Th-thank you," Serenity stated, her feet now firmly planted back upon the hard, soiled ground. She noticed that the helping hand was a little abrupt in the offering, but she couldn't really complain. He did after all save her from the somewhat disastrous situation, whether he was rough or not. The thing that concerned her the most, was the fact that he still hadn't released his grip upon her delicate wrist- his fingers tightening with every second that ticked by. "Excuse me, but could you please, let go." Serenity replied, trying to remain as calm and polite as she possibly could. It was obvious her voice was shaky and clearly the man standing before her sensed it too, an intrigued smile spreading across his lips- revealing crooked, yellow teeth.

            "What's the matter baby, am I being too rough?!" The voice cackled, his low voice vibrating through Serenity's ear, as she desperately tried to pull away from him- his fingers now digging into her flesh.

            "Stop it, you're hurting me!" Serenity screamed, tears flowing endlessly down her cheeks. His nails continued to dig deeper as they eventually broke through her skin, allowing a small amount of blood to ooze out from the wounds. "Let me go!"

            "Don't struggle, it'll only make things worse." He whispered slowly, his mouth inches from her earlobe, as he began nibbling on it roughly. Serenity squirmed uncontrollably, trying to loosen herself from his clinging paws, while she felt one of his hands running down the side of her body. Her eyes were full of tears, her body pressed up against his chest, arms hanging helplessly to her sides. Her mind was nothing but a mad scramble as she desperately searched for an answer out of this mess; yet all she could think about was Joey, wishing that he were here next to her. None of this would've happened then, and she probably would've been safely back in her home, sitting comfortably by the cackling fire. Her entire case appeared completely hopeless, nobody would find her down her, and her screaming wouldn't be loud enough to reach the busy streets- besides, the vehicles would probably drown out all attempts. There was nothing she could do...or was there? She remembered one time back at Domino High, when Mai Valentine took it upon herself to teach her a thing or two about self-defense. The entire lesson wasn't very clear in her mind, yet she could still remember one move, a move that any girl could use in a time of panic. Without even hesitating, Serenity thrust her knee upwards, realizing that this was her last change. 

            "You little wench!" He hissed, whipping a sturdy hand against her before keeling over in pain. Serenity's head snapped around, her cinnamon hair flying madly as she fell back down to the earth, clasping her cheek as she breathed heavily. When impact with the ground was made, around twenty cards came flying out from the safety of Serenity's vest, as they scattered loosely across the ground. Shaking uncontrollably Serenity felt herself hunching over, the tingling sensation of pain running through her cheek. Yet she watched the cards lying in various directions before her, as she desperately reached out for one of them. They were duel monster cards...Joey's duel monster cards. He had given them to her to hold until the famous 'Battle city tournament' got under way, declaring that she would infuse the cards with luck. She couldn't let anything happen to those cards; she couldn't let her big brother down. Struggling, she reached a trembling hand outwards, the tips of her fingers but inches from the light brown card. Suddenly a foot heaved down, blocking the gap between Serenity's fingers and the card.

            "Stupid woman! You should've ran when you had the chance!" A shadow loomed over her, while the same dark man leant towards her his eyes full of hatred. Serenity shook her head slowly, opening her mouth in an attempt to speak; yet nothing came out- her throat was completely parched. How could he be all right after her inflicting blow, how could he have so much pain tolerance? "Lucky for me, I'm used to the women fighting back...I personally enjoy it!" Spit shot forth from his mouth, splashing up against the side of Serenity's cheeks, as he rubbed his hands together. "You know something, I'm going to definitely enjoy taking revenge on you!" Lifting back his foot slowly, he arranged the position perfectly, so that his target would be the exact center point of Serenity's head. "Just as a warning...this may hurt!"

            "Don't even think about touching her." A voice suddenly spoke up, his tone dry yet demanding. Immediately the 'tormenter' spun around, leaving Serenity safe for the moment as he faced the newcomer. A young man stood firmly within the shadows of the alley, his posture perfectly erect, while his clothes rustled with the slight breeze. Short mahogany hair was clean cut upon his head, while long bangs wavered across his forehead. His dark azure eyes were narrowed in disgust, yet they appeared to be cold and emotionless. Both hands were brought up into two thick fists, while a large silver briefcase was held within the fingers of his right hand.

            "Oh yeah...and tell me, who might you be?" The 'tormenter' questioned, eyeing this new person with suspicion and curiosity. 

            "Just call me Kaiba." He stated simply, as he pointed to a small crested 'KC', which was evident upon his long white, wavering vest. A look of shock spread across the other man's face as Serenity glanced up, her eyes taking direct focus upon Kaiba. It was the very same Kaiba that she remembered from school...Seto. A small sigh of relief escaped through her lips, while her heart finally felt secure, knowing that Seto wouldn't let anything happen to her. As much as everybody declared that he was a bad guy she didn't entirely believe it, and sometimes during school she saw him let his guard down- revealing his true inner feelings. 

            "Kaiba...the champion duelist? Or should I say...**was** the champion duelist! Didn't that kid Yugi Motou beat you?!" The man mocked, while a cringe spread across Seto's face, fire dancing within the pupils of his eyes. Ever since he had lost his championship title in Duelist Kingdom, his heart was set revenge, set for revenge on the pathetic Yugi and his philosophy- "heart of the cards."

            "You're going to wish you never said that!" Seto growled, as he placed his briefcase next to his feet. Running a hand down his side he paused near his hip, quickly pulling out a deck of cards from his holstered belt. "I'm challenging you to a duel...winner takes all." 

            "Winner takes all...is that including the girl?" The man smiled, eyeing Serenity as he spoke the last bit. Seto merely nodded while reciting a simple _'fine by me,'_ as he steadily began shuffling the cards in his deck. This duel wouldn't last long, he could guarantee that much! 

            "We'll use the new duel discs." Seto stated, clicking open his briefcase as he tossed a white mechanism towards his opponent. Slipping an identical one onto his arm, he positioned himself, slipping his deck into the appropriate slot as the disc suddenly lit up- ready for battle. "Since I'm such a generous person, I'll allow for you to go first." Seto smirked, his anticipation growing with every second that ticked by.

            "Fine by me!" The man shot back, dealing out five cards to his hand as he scanned them over. "All right then, for my first move...I summon Darkfire Soldier #1, in attack position!" He stated, placing a card vertically on his duel disc as a hologram image appeared before him "And that's not all Kaiba, I'm also going to play the rare magic card Salamandra!" A smirk spread across his lips, while signs of victory glistened in his eyes as he stared directly back at Kaiba. "That raises my soldiers attack points by 700, giving him a total strength of 2400!" 

            "I see you know your duel monsters. But tell me duelist...have you ever heard of the Egyptian God cards?" Seto sneered, his body leaning with intimidation towards his competitor. Slipping his fingers around one of the cards, he slid it away from the others, twirling it within his fingers in a mocking manner. "I'll take that as a no. Well then, let me be the first to introduce you to the ultimate monster...I summon, Obelisk the Tormenter!" A large flash suddenly erupted into the sky, blinding out even the keenest persons vision. Serenity could vaguely see the outline of Seto standing off in the distance, while a giant creature began taking form in front of him. The brightness of the light stung the core of Serenity's eyes, her face wincing in pain as she shielded them within her palms- hoping that it would soon pass. 

            "Noooo, stop!" A voice screamed, the sound vibrating through Serenity's ears as it banged roughly against her eardrum. She could easily recognize it however, that same hissing voice that had taken advantage of her but mere minutes ago. Now the tables had turned, and he was the one screaming with terror, he was now at the lower end of the stick. Yet Serenity couldn't stand the noise, she hated the sound of screaming; whether the person deserved it or not. The light didn't last long however, and as quickly as it had appeared, it disappeared again- revealing a very pleased looking Seto. His eyes were focused directly opposite of himself; yet his competitor was no longer there...he was gone.

            "Pathetic." He snorted, taking a hold of his deck as he repositioned it back within the confinements of his belt pocket, making sure that his Obelisk card was directly on the top.

            "It's over." Serenity whispered, finally allowing herself to release a breath in a sigh of relief. Her eyes wavered over to where Seto was standing, to where he was busy packing up his duel discs- seemingly oblivious to the world around him. She could feel the odd tear still streaming down the sides of her cheeks, as she suddenly became aware of the duelist cards that still remained scattered around her...Joey's cards! Crawling over to the first card in sight, she slid her fingers underneath it, before grasping it delicately within her thumb and index finger. The face side of the card was covered in mud, completely concealing the image of the duel monster and its stats. Tears instantly began flooding up in her eyes, as she hunched her body over the disastrous looking card, strands of cinnamon hair falling restlessly across her face. "Joey's cards...th-there ruined." Serenity stuttered, grasping a hold of another card, its condition even worse than the one before. "I've ruined his deck...I-I let him down."

How could she have done such a thing to Joey's deck...after everything that he had ever done for her, she let him down. These cards were in no way fit for a duel, they were absolutely ruined; meaning Joey would surely be unable to participate in the Battle City Tournament. Shaking her head abruptly Serenity felt irritation flowing through her veins, anger at herself for how careless she was. What was she thinking coming down a dark alleyway all on her own; did she honestly believe that nothing would happen to her? Why did she always have to be such a hopeless waste of space? She truly believed that it was her fault their parents separated; she knew it was, even if every member of her family denied it. Her body began shaking uncontrollably as she forced my eyes close, not wanting to look into the face of her brothers destroyed deck.

            "Sitting around here**isn't**going to do you any good." A voice broke out, the tone rather harsh and demanding. Hesitantly Serenity allowed her head to rise up, her glazed eyes looking directly into a set of cold azure eyes, sending a small chill down her spine. Seto was kneeling gently before her, his eyes staring forward, while not even a blink slid over them.  

            "I-I can't leave," Serenity finally replied, her voice dull and quiet. "The cards, I've ruined my brothers cards...I-I can't face him." A line of tears streamed down her face, her hands beginning to shake uncontrollably as she dropped the two cards from her grasp. Her chin slammed down onto her chest, all hope completely leaving her body. She could see a pale hand reach out before her, as Seto roughly grabbed hold of one of the cards, scrapping the clumped mud off as he examined it carefully- a sudden look of shock creeping across his face.

_'Red Eyes Black Dragon,'_ Seto confirmed to himself, taking notice to the black dragon emblazoned on the small card. His mind began racing with ideas as he glanced over to the devastated Serenity, realization suddenly becoming eminent. There was only one person that he knew who possessed the rare 'Red Eyes Black Dragon.' "You must be Wheeler's sister." Seto practically spat out, a mental picture of a dirty blonde guy taking form within his mind. 

            "That's right, I'm Serenity Wheeler...Joey's younger sister." She confirmed, nodding her head slowly yet still refusing to meet up with his eyes. 

Seto growled at the mere thought of it, realizing that he had just rescued the annoying Wheelers little sister. What would that blonde airhead say once he found out about his sisters 'hero.' Seto shook his head forcefully, refusing to think about the unnecessary subject playing through his head. Re-focusing his attention back upon the card, a smug smile slipped across his lips, a glint running through his eyes. At this very moment he was holding Wheelers most treasured card, his most worthwhile card out of the entire deck. How easy it would be for him to simply slip it within his pocket; nobody would even notice. Serenity was too busy weeping in her own self-pity; she wouldn't even take notice to his sly maneuver. Running a finger across the glossy surface, he noticed the mud slipping off with ease- no longer sticking to the small rectangular card. So they weren't ruined after all, and after a small cleaning they would be as good as new. Seto sighed, closing his eyes tightly as his teeth grit roughly against each other- making an eerie scratching sound.

            _'Take it or leave it!'_ He told himself sharply, while he still questioned the idea within his mind. Ninety nine percent of him told him take the card, yet there was still that odd one percent...that one percent which was declaring else wise. But honestly, how much authority did one percent have over his decisions? "Here, the cards fine!" Seto stated, holding out the now clean card before Serenity's face. "There all fine, all they need is a quick cleaning."

Serenity stirred slightly, reaching out as she took a hold of the card, her hand brushing up lightly against Seto's. He was right, the card looked as good as new! It was as though her luck was now turning around for the better, which she was extremely thankful for. Finally giving in she lifted her head, a smile clearly evident upon her peach toned lips, her chocolate eyes glistening- life once again returning to them. "Tha..."

            "Look." Seto declared, quickly cutting off Serenity's words. "I don't have all day to sit around in some dark alleyway, while I strike up a conversation with you. I **do **I have a business to run!" 

            "Oh, of course." Serenity replied, nodding her head with understanding. "I'm ok now, you don't need to stick around any further. I'm sure I can handle things from here." She wished she could believe those last words, but she knew they weren't true at all. Thinking she could handle things on her own was what got her into this mess in the first place, after all.

A low irritated growl emitted from Seto, rising to his feet as he shook his head. "As much as I'd like to leave you here...I can't." He declared, rubbing a hand behind his neck as he closed his eyes in annoyance. "**I'll** take you home..."

Seto cocked an eyebrow at the sight of their stop, eyeing the small house- if that's what you would call it- in curiosity. There was only one way for Seto to describe the shambled, old place...a shack. It was small, no miniscule in size and the outside walls seemed worse for wear. A large window was mounted next to the white, steel door, curtains drawn across so that passer-byers would have no chance at seeing in. The lawn- Seto concluded- was the most decent part of the entire house, and it looked as though it was the only area that was maintained. 

            "**This **is where you live?" He questioned, distaste shooting forth from his vocal cords. Serenity nodded slowly, yet she didn't appear the least ashamed about her home as she glanced at it from the other side of the car window. "All right." He replied, shrugging as the small door suddenly swung open to the outside world. 

A gush of fresh air immediately swept into the cabin of the limo, giving it a clean, nature smell. Slipping out from the confinements of the vehicle, Seto planted himself upon the sturdy sidewalk, arms crossed haughtily over his chest. Serenity soon followed out after him, placing a wobbly foot upon the concrete, trying her best to maintain balance. Mud still clung onto all parts of her body, while her cheek began to bruise up- shades of blues and purples accenting the wounded area. She didn't appear too concerned about her injuries, she was just thankful that she was safe; or more importantly, Joey's cards were safe.

            "Do you think you can make it to the door without injuring yourself even more?" Seto asked, noticing the unstable behavior of the young girl. Serenity nodded bleakly, though not exactly believing herself as she took a step forward. She had to admit, she did feel rather week, and all the bones within her body began to ache in pain. A feeling of light-headedness grew over her, feet stumbling forward as her eyes grew drowsy. She felt like collapsing but was reassured that that wouldn't happen, as she felt a firm arm grip around her waist.

            "I guess I'm not as fine as I thought I was." Serenity smiled softly, tilting her head upwards. Seto stared back down at her, his eyes softening at the sight of her pale-toned face. Her complexion was very fine, and the details- eyes, nose, mouth- were all aligned perfectly. The small three or four strands of bangs wavered gently across her forehead, while her beautiful chocolate eyes glistened with a sign of hope. Seto's mind was in a jumbled mess, no longer able to think straight. Unwanted feelings began sweeping over him, while a tinge of red spread across his cheekbones. He continued to keep his arm firmly looped around Serenity's waist, allowing the weakened girl to gain support against his body.

The sound of an opening door allowed Seto to snap back in reality, his eyes taking notice to a tall figure standing in the doorframe. Seto easily recognized the young man as Joey Wheeler, instantly taking notice to the mass of untamed blonde hair, falling this way and that upon his head.

            "What's this...Kaiba!" Joey explained, immediately taking notice to the strange scenario taking place in front of his house. "What are **you** doing here!?"

            "If your mouth wasn't going at fifty miles per hour, I'd tell you!" Seto snapped back, disgusted with the guy that stood before him. Ever since Joey and Seto first met, there was nothing but bad vibes between the two of them. "Besides, I'm not the one you should be worried about!" He finished, nodding his head downwards; indicating to Serenity who now had her head resting against his shoulder. She appeared completely worn out as she lifted a hand to wave at her brother, whispering softly _'hi Joey.'_

            "Serenity!? That's it...get your dirty paws off of her you sleazebag!" Joey demanded, storming up to Seto as he wrapped his own arms around Serenity, pulling her back with protective force. "What did you do to her Kaiba!?" Joey growled, fury sweeping over him as his eyes narrowed to small slits.

            "Joey he..."

            "Forget it, I don't need this from you Wheeler!" Seto retorted, cutting off Serenity before she could explain. Backing slowly away he bent back into his limo, holding the handle within his grasp as he paused. "You should be thankful that I found her when I did." With that, he swiftly slammed the door, concealing himself from the accursed Joey Wheeler. "Take me home!" He demanded, suddenly feeling the car jerk into motion as it pulled away from the curb. Seto gently rubbed a finger against his temple, his back leaning up against the leather seat. An encounter with Joey Wheeler, what a way to end an already bad day! Damn Joey for giving him this sudden headache; and damn his sister for dragging him into such an awful mess! No, that last part wasn't true, he wasn't upset with Serenity. As much as he hated to admit it, he was thankful that he had found her in that alley, thankful that he met her. Back there, having her body up against his, made him feel something that he had never felt before...something new.

            "God knows I'll never see her again." He thought, shaking his head at the image of Serenity that kept popping up into his mind. "Lets **hope** I never see her again!"

The flaming sun shone within the vortex of the clear, blue sky, sending off endless amounts of heat. Serenity could feel her arms growing sticky from the intense humidity as she wiped a hand across her forehead. The heat wasn't a huge problem on her list, and so far things were turning out far better than the day before. Though Serenity chose to address that memory in a positive way, considering it to be a blessing- for meeting Seto. For some reason she grew a certain likeness to the seemingly cold, mahogany haired guy, a likeness that she didn't dare explain to Joey. It took enough pleading on Serenity's part to actually convince Joey that she would be perfectly fine on her own, promising that she would steer clear from any alleys. Joey had still seemed skeptical about the whole concept, and Serenity was glad that she didn't explain the true reason of why she wanted to come out today...to find Seto. After everything that he had done for her, she still hadn't expressed her gratitude to him and she felt awful. It wasn't like her to not say 'thank-you,' she was brought up with proper manners and she always used them. Finally Serenity stopped, gazing up at the large building that loomed before her.

            "Kaiba Corporation." She mumbled softly, noticing the giant KC letters fixated on the side of the building. So this was Kaiba Corp., the most well to do business in all of Domino City. Serenity could feel her stomach churning at the obstacle that now lay before her, the obstacle of coming face to Seto once again. Shifting her bag further onto her shoulder, she took a hesitant step forward, overcoming the first stair. Only five more steps lay before her and she made her way up them easily and rapidly. Pushing gently through one of the double glassed doors, she was immediately confronted by two security guards; their hands clasping around her arms. Serenity was startled by the sudden gesture brought forth upon her, while her eyes glistened with surprise.

            "Excuse us miss, but what business do you wish to attend here at Kaiba Corp.?" The man was serious with his words, refusing to let even the smallest of smiles appear on his lips. He was tall and well muscled, sending off a vibe of intimidation. Well, at least he was successful in his job.

            "I-I came here to see Seto Kaiba." Serenity replied calmly, glancing up at the large security guard who didn't even flinch.

            "I'm afraid Mr.Kaiba is far too busy, and has no time to visit with the likes of you."

            "Release your hold on her!" Seto's voice suddenly broke out, as the two guards immediately stepped away from Serenity; standing perfectly erect as Kaiba stood before them.

            "Sorry sir, we didn't realize she was a friend."

Seto sneered at the word 'friend,' while his cold eyes surveyed over Serenity, not looking entirely pleased to see her. "She is nothing more than an affiliate." Seto growled, while the guards nodded with understanding. "Even so, I expect you to treat her with the same dignity and respect that you would show me!"

            "Yes sir." They replied simultaneously, bowing together as they made their way back to their posts. Serenity stood speechless, while Seto's eyes bore down upon her, his 6 foot frame looming over her mere 5'5" one. Now was her chance to express her true gratitude, this was what she had thought about the previous night in her room. But finally meeting up with him again caused her heart to stop, a strange feeling flowing through her body.

            "So, you came all the way over here, just so you could stare dumb-founded at me!?" Seto snapped, causing a bright streak of red to form upon Serenity's cheeks.

            "I'm sorry." She whispered, dropping her head down in embarrassment. She hadn't realized that she was staring steadily up at him, how stupid she must've looked. And then she had to go and blush, which probably annoyed Seto even more.

            "I-I came here to thank you, for everything you did yesterday."

            "Believe me, it was nothing." Seto replied, shrugging his shoulders at the girl's words. "It honestly wasn't worth the effort to come all the way down here, just to say a measly two words." 

            "It was important to me." Serenity stated, clasping her hands gently together. "I know that saying thank-you isn't a whole lot, so I'll make it up to if..."

            "I don't want anything!" Seto snarled back, startling Serenity as she took a step back. Mentally Seto was kicking himself for being so abrupt, for being so rude to her. But he didn't dare show it on the outside, he forbid it. He didn't want to fall in love, especially for some weak girl who was related to Wheeler. Yet he couldn't just send her away like that, she'd probably end up getting herself into more danger. "Fine, if it means so much to you to make things up...I might as well put you to use." Seto finally declared, forcefully shoving a briefcase into Serenity's arms. "Come on, we're going to search out more rare cards!"

With that, Seto quickly left the building, leaving Serenity standing there in shock. He actually wanted her help after all, though she wasn't entirely pleased about having to drag around a 20 lb. briefcase. Serenity sighed, shrugging her shoulders as she slowly made her way behind Seto. After all, she was the one who wanted to pay him back so badly. Surprisingly enough however, the search for "rare cards" didn't turn out so badly, and even the once heavy briefcase began to lighten up...slightly. Seto made his way into every hobby shop in the city, zigzagging this way and that like a lost puppy- Serenity keeping a steady pace behind him.

            "Why am I not surprised!" Seto snorted, slamming the door behind him as he exited the tiny shop. "It amazes me how these damn little stores make enough money to survive. When all they sell is worthless junk!"

            "I assume they had nothing." Serenity stated, re-grasping the briefcase that was currently resting upon the sidewalk.

            "Nothing that I don't already have." Seto growled, his fists clenched in anger as he jammed them roughly into his pockets. Closing his eyes in frustration he leaned back against the side of the building, trying to decide what his next course of action would be. Serenity could see the irritation steaming off of Seto as she bit the tip of her lip gently, wondering whether or not she should say something. I mean, it couldn't hurt anything.

            "It must be hard, running a big company and all." Serenity finally spoke, taking a position next to him. Her arms were crossed over before her, still tightly clasping the briefcase as she too leaned lightly against the wall. "Do you ever have any free time...like, fun time?"

Seto smirked at the sudden comment, "fun time? Who the hell cares about fun time!"

            "I do, I mean, its important to take breaks...to relax, even for you." Serenity finished, trying to sound as convincing as she possibly could.

            "And what would be your idea of relaxing?" Seto questioned, finally slipping open one of his azure eyes. "Taking a cruise?"

            "Taking a cruise? Heavens no!" Serenity exclaimed, giggling at the surprise comment. "As relaxing as a cruise may be, it costs a ton of money!" She smiled, glancing up at him. "Do you ever think about anything...besides money?"

            "Why should I, money is the only way for people to survive." Seto stated, his eyes wandering off in the distance as though he was contemplating something. "Everything in this world costs money...nothing is free!"

            "That's not true." Serenity replied, shaking her head slowly as she pushed up from off the wall. "I want to show you something." She declared, looking up hopefully at Seto who glanced back down at her.

            "I don't have time to run around, I have important tasks to take care of!" He answered, nodding towards his briefcase.

            "Business can be postponed for a few minutes. Besides, its 5:50, shops are closing in ten minutes." Serenity explained, taking a glance at her watch.

            "Fine!" Seto growled, resuming his posture as he too pushed away from the wall. "This better not be a waste of my time!" Serenity smiled, shaking her head repeatedly as they headed down the sidewalk. She could hardly believe that Seto had agreed to go along with her as she gazed at him from the corner of her eye. His stern eyes were facing directly forward, his pace remaining continuous through every step that he took. There was definitely more to Seto Kaiba than everybody gave him credit for, if only they took the time to understand him. Serenity knew that not even she understood Seto completely, but she was trying, and she found the two of them growing quite close- even if it wasn't entirely obvious.

            "I knew this was a waste of my time!" Seto sneered as he paused, taking notice to where Serenity was so intent on taking him. Directly fixated before him was a small park, complete with a slide, merry-go-round, monkey bars, and a swing. Surrounding the small open area were a mass of trees, all shapes and sizes, while a narrow asphalt path lead around it.

            "It's not such a waste." Serenity defended, taking a step off the path as she made her way across the grass towards the playground. "Look to it as a gateway...a gateway to childhood."

            "And why would I want to go back to my childhood!?" Seto questioned, his voice full of distaste as he glanced around the park.

            "Cause childhood is the most precious time in a person's life." Serenity replied, pausing as she turned to Seto. "When you're a kid, you have no responsibilities...no fears." Her voice trailed off near the end, her eyes glazing slightly at the fears that haunted her mind, fears that she wanted to eliminate forever.

            "I don't have any fears." Seto stated, his voice snapping Serenity out of her thoughts. He was standing but a few inches before her now, his eyes focusing upon one of the trees that stood before him. A large cherry blossom tree stood tall amass the thousands of other green trees. It was in full bloom, the pink blossoms clumping together beautifully on the various branches. Serenity smiled at the sight of it, while a few blossoms began to drift wistfully away from the tree- plucking themselves from the safety of the branches as they subtly landed on the ground.

            "The petals are falling." Serenity whispered, while she grasped one of the blossoms from the air. "Somebody is crying."

Seto cocked an eyebrow in curiosity, "what?"

            "Its something my mother used to tell me as a child. She said that whenever a person cried, blossoms would fall from the trees- mourning the loss of that persons loved one." Serenity explained, her eyes wavering at the memory. "It comforted me, knowing that the trees felt my sorrow...knowing that something else knew how I felt." Her voice slowly died out, her head drooping downwards as her hair swirled around her.

            _'What kind of a tale was that.' _Seto thought to himself, shaking his head at the bizarre idea. There was something about Serenity, something about the way she acted- how positive she always was. Everything about her was pure, especially her heart. Taking a step towards her he ran a finger underneath her chin, gently tilting it upwards so as to allow their eyes to meet. He noticed a tinge of pink spreading over her cheeks- obviously surprised at the sudden gesture. Seto himself was just as surprised, not entirely sure of what he was thinking or doing as he studied her face. He could see the perplexion streaming out from Serenity's chocolate eyes. Seto felt himself being drawn closer and closer to her with every second that ticked by. Running a thumb gently across her slightly swollen cheekbone, he brushed a strand of hair aside; tucking it behind her ear. Serenity could feel her heart racing, her body but mere millimeters from Seto's as their breathing intertwined as one. She felt his hands slip up into her soft hair, gently taking a hold of her head; just behind her ears. With one final breath she was pulled into him, their lips immediately interlocking with each other. The abrupt kiss sent tingles down Serenity's spine, her body melting into Kaiba's arms. Seto could feel her lips quivering slightly as he caressed them with his own, allowing her to become relaxed. Her lips tasted sweet like honey, while he ran his tongue across them. When he finally pulled away he realized how remarkable it was to hold Serenity within his grasp, how good he felt being next to her- even if she was Joey Wheeler's sister. Serenity began taking in air as smiled up at Seto, her eyes full of light. This moment was something that she never wanted to give up, but there was something haunting her mind...

            "Seto, I..." She began, stuttering as she felt Seto's hand cup around her cheek. "I have to tell you something." The fear of the words grew in her mind, while Seto stared down at her, waiting for her to finish. "I-I'm blind."

            "You're what!?" Seto exclaimed, his eyes widening at the sound of the word.

            "Not fully blind, but partially. I...I have to concentrate hard on what I'm looking at, and I normally need to squint in order to make the image more clear." Her voice quivered with every word, and tears came to her eyes at the sight of Seto's face. Perhaps telling him was a bad idea after all, but she had too. Something like this couldn't be kept as a secret...it wasn't right. "I'm going in for surgery...tomorrow. They say there's a 95% chance that the operation will be a success, but...its that 5% that I'm completely terrified of." Tears flooder her eyes, while they began seeping out onto her skin. "Seto?"

Seto stood completely still, his body frozen with shock at the information that was just presented to him. Two feelings seemed to pass through him, compassion, and anger.

            "You're blind." Seto repeated to himself as he slowly drew his arms away from Serenity, taking a few steps back. His eyebrows narrowed in fury, shaking his head repeatedly. "I should've known. The minute I go and show feelings for a girl, she ends up having something wrong with her." Serenity paused at the rude comment, realizing that Seto's attitude had suddenly drifted back to being cold hearted. So everybody was right about him after all, he didn't care for anybody...nobody except himself. 

            "I-I thought you would understand. I thought we shared something...I...I..." Serenity was cut off by her own sobs, finding herself choking on her tears as she watched Seto turn away- forever. He didn't even pause to glance back at her, he just walked with no emotion, hands thrust into the depths of his pockets. Yet Seto did want to glance back, he wanted to comfort the broken girl...but he couldn't. Shock had completely taken control of him, his mind scrambled from determining what he truly wanted to say. All his anger just seemed to pile up at once, and he shot it out with incredible force at her. But he wasn't mad at her, no, he was mad at the world. Mad at the world for hurting someone who he cared about so deeply...for infecting such a pure soul.

Serenity watched as Seto disappeared, before collapsing to her knees- her faith now completely broken apart. It was true then, what people said. Just because you were blind, or deaf, or had some unwanted disease; you were treated differently. Treated as though you were some kind of a science experiment gone wrong- like Frankenstein or Mr. Hyde. A pool of tears streamed down the sides of Serenity's face; while all around her cherry blossoms began to fall...

A/N: Well, what do ya think? I'm not sure how well it turned out, but I hope you guys enjoyed it! ^-^


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